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Actor Jeffrey Louis Starr, best known for his role in two Bad News Bears sequels, has died at the age of 61, TMZ reports.
Starr reportedly died at a hospital in Carbondale, Illinois, last month. The actor was reportedly battling a "serious illness" prior to his death, according to The Spun.
“The world got a little darker yesterday with the passing of my Best Friend and Brother,” Kevin Starr, the actor's brother, wrote in a social media post. “Jeff lived an amazing life and shared his life with countless people. Jeff never met a stranger and helped so many people throughout the years. ... I love you so much little brother and I’ll see you on the other side.”
Jeffrey Starr played catcher Mike Engleberg, who was portrayed by Gary Lee Cavagnaro in the original The Bad News Bears (1976) film, in the sequels The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977) and The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978). The two sequels are the only two films Starr credit for on his IMDB.com page, however, he reportedly made uncredited appearances in other films.
Starr, who had a wife and two children, reportedly became a deacon at his church in 2010, according to TMZ.